Dragon Raja: Lu Mingfei finds a Freylian

“Ha, you’re making me want to join!” Lu Mingfei waved to Frilian, signaling her not to interrupt, and then said to Sakura in an extremely exaggerated and sarcastic tone, emphasizing the words “want to”.

Sakura naturally sensed the barb in his words. After a moment of silence, she bowed slightly and said, "I can provide you with the contact information for human resources, but the family hardly ever recruits foreigners."

She offered no further explanation, swiped her card to open the VIP elevator, and said, "This way, everyone."

As the elevator ascended, Lu Mingfei looked out at the lights through the glass wall. Highways interspersed among the tall buildings in this area, with a dense flow of vehicles coming and going. One of them passed through Genji Heavy Industries.

The fifth and sixth floors of Genji Heavy Industries are hollow, with a tunnel running through them.

Lu Mingfei had a sense of déjà vu; this thing would appear in Chongqing in the not-too-distant future.

“The path goes through the inside of the building,” Frillian said, pressing her face against the glass. “Won’t it disturb the people inside? And the dust?”

Sakura breathed a slight sigh of relief and shifted the topic to a direction that could showcase the family's positive strength: "This was a last resort. After the building was completed, the Governor of Tokyo informed us that a tunnel needed to pass through here. After several rounds of negotiations, it was decided to use the fifth and sixth floors as a tunnel."

Caesar was quite surprised. In Tokyo, where land is incredibly valuable, the Snake-Headed Eight Family could buy an entire building like this and even negotiate with the Governor of Tokyo. That shows how much power they wielded.

"Japan experiences many earthquakes and typhoons. Can the buildings withstand them?" Chu Zihang asked a very practical question.

"Please rest assured, the designers are all from the Tachibana family. The Maruyama Construction Office under the Tachibana family is very famous in Japan. The Edo Castle was designed by the founder. We have conducted several tests, and as long as the earthquake does not exceed magnitude 8, it will be safe and sound."

Chapter 374 is Parasite

"Oh, so powerful," Lu Mingfei exclaimed, but what he was thinking was something else entirely: even the government had to compromise with them and sign a century-long lease; the tentacles and influence of the Snake Clan had indeed penetrated into every aspect of this country.

This wasn't some kind of yakuza family; it was a massive shadow deeply entrenched in the fabric of Japanese society, a country within a country. This made him even more uncomfortable.

With a "ding," Lu Mingfei looked up and saw that the elevator had reached the 28th floor.

The elevator doors opened, revealing a wide-open view. The entire 28th floor was an office lobby, where hundreds of well-dressed girls sat in cubicles, answering phones with one hand and typing on computer keyboards with the other, their crisp, uniform "Yes, you're right." The scene was orderly, reminiscent of a large company's customer service center.

“There are a lot of girls. Do their clothes look like they were all custom-made? The colors and styles are perfect.” Frillian asked, “Are you getting hoarse from answering so many calls? Do you have any throat lozenges available?”

Sakura explained, "They are all custom-made. The girls here are all our company's operators, so please don't worry about their voices getting hoarse. We have regular staff rotations to ensure 24-hour service. We treat gangsters and ordinary people equally and do our best to help them all."

She paused, then added, "When major disasters occur, we are the first to provide assistance. During one tsunami, more than 30,000 people participated in the rescue efforts, providing material and manpower support. Many civilians receive their first aid from their families during disasters."

“He’s truly a ‘father’ to the Japanese people!” Lu Mingfei drawled out the words, emphasizing the word “father”.

To him, this act of substituting for government functions was not an achievement, but rather a blatant usurpation and mockery of normal state authority, a manifestation of the extreme expansion of organized crime. This added a layer of deep vigilance to his feelings towards the Snake Clan, going beyond simple disgust.

Go up from the 28th floor and take the stairs to the 29th floor.

Looking around, the first thing you see is a huge map of the Tokyo area on the wall, covered with holes and densely packed with darts.

The man, who appeared to be the boss, picked up a dart from the ground, tied a slip of paper to it (the note had something written on it), and tossed it onto the map with a "whoosh." His subordinates circled around him, chanting "Yes, yes, yes."

“Battle Hub,” Lu Mingfei commented, “This is basically the command center for directing gang warfare.”

“The 29th floor is our liaison department,” Sakura said. “There is a connection between the 28th and 29th floors. If anything important happens, the operator will inform the liaison department immediately, and the department leader will then decide whether to report it further up the chain of command. Because most of the people in this department are older, they use old-fashioned methods to transmit information.”

"The old way is to throw darts? How did you do it even further back?" Caesar asked with interest, having only ever thrown the thing while waiting in line.

“Yes, in the Edo period, people often tied notes to wakizashi and then threw them away,” Sakura replied.

“Wakizashi,” Lu Mingfei repeated in a low voice, the image of a bloodstained dagger and a kneeling seppuku flashing through his mind, overlapping with the seemingly traditional but actually ruthless and efficient underworld management system before him, sending a chill down his spine.

This is not nostalgia; it is clearly the ritualized legacy of violence.

Floor 28 is for wiring, floor 29 for communication, and floor 30 looks relaxing. This floor is in the traditional Japanese style, with sliding doors, tatami mats, and low tables. Several elderly people with white hair, dressed in simple kimonos, sit together, quietly drinking tea and occasionally exchanging a few words in hushed tones. The atmosphere is tranquil and has a touch of Zen.

"Is this your senior citizens' activity center or a meditation room?" Lu Mingfei looked around. The peace here contrasted sharply with the hustle and bustle outside and the tense atmosphere of those throwing darts downstairs.

Sakura respectfully said, "The 30th floor is the Strategic Department. Only those who have made significant contributions to the main family and have a good reputation can enter the Strategic Department. They usually gather in twos and threes, drink tea, and discuss the situation of their grandchildren. However, once a problem arises, they will step forward to resolve the various issues for the main family. They are the pillars supporting the main family and the anchor of stability."

“Like the Senate of ancient Rome,” Caesar nodded, understanding better the structure that combined symbolism with actual power.

“They are only hired for very difficult, critical, or complex matters that require deep connections and historical background to resolve,” Sakura added. “However, they usually cannot be seen in public because most of them have been wanted by the police for over a decade.”

“Wanted criminal,” Lu Mingfei muttered softly, his voice low but loud enough for Ying beside him to hear.

A group of wanted criminals sit on the top floor of this gleaming building, sipping tea and deciding the course of the underworld. This building even collaborates with the government, allowing a highway to cut through it. This distorted reality makes his chest tighten.

In his view, this was the best illustration of the extreme incompetence of the Japanese government, which allowed such a shadow empire to exist so openly and respectably.

"What are we going to do next? Have a meeting with these old fossils?" Lu Mingfei asked, praying in his heart that it wasn't. He really didn't want to have any interaction with these living fossil-level veteran underworld bosses.

"No, although these elders are all worthy of our respect, they are not qualified to speak with you. The ones who will be speaking with you are the eight family heads." Sakura shook her head slightly, guiding them forward. "The eight family heads are waiting for you on a higher floor. There is a temple called Awakening Temple up there. Please."

“Eight patriarchs.” In Lu Mingfei’s mind, eight gaunt old men with sinister eyes appeared, dressed in black kimonos embroidered with their family crests, kneeling in a dimly lit room, their nostrils seemingly exuding a cold aura representing power and decay.

Aside from Inuyama He, Lu Mingfei also had a bit of a good impression of this old man. Inuyama Ri's grandfather, Angers' student, so by a rough calculation, he and Inuyama Ri were practically fellow disciples.

The more this building displayed its efficiency, order, warmth, or tradition, the more Lu Mingfei felt the deep, institutionalized coldness and hypocrisy within it. The underworld is the underworld; no matter how glamorous its facade, its core remains violence and illegality.

The larger and more orderly the Snake Clan became, the more it resembled a malignant tumor on the body of society that was difficult to remove, not only absorbing nutrients but also attempting to establish its own circulatory system.

The order, welfare, tradition, and disaster relief that Sakura tried to explain along the way sounded to him like excuses to whitewash this tumor. Instead of alleviating his disgust, they made him more certain that this organization and everything it represented were completely contrary to the idea that justice would always prevail over evil that he had been taught since childhood.

Chapter 375 Eight Family Heads

“Here.” Sakura pulled open the hidden sliding door, and sunlight instantly flooded into the dimly lit corridor, brightening the space. This floor actually concealed a terrace, cleverly embedded in a corner of the building, accessible only through a sliding door.

Lu Mingfei pondered. The name "Xingshen Temple" truly reflected its solemnity, but it wasn't a Buddhist temple; rather, it was in the style of Japanese Shintoism. A small vermilion torii gate stood there, its granite walls carved with Shinto deities and spirits—Amaterasu, Tsukuyomi, Susanoo, and other demons—all frequent characters from manga. Some had lion faces and fangs, others sat cross-legged amidst piles of skulls, creating a eerie atmosphere reminiscent of a yokai (hundred demons) parade at night.

Clear spring water meanders through the landscape, surrounded by a dry landscape garden composed of white stones and green grass. High up in this steel forest, it exudes a sense of tranquility and Zen.

Sakura presented a copper basin filled with clean water. Lu Mingfei and Frilian washed their hands and rinsed their mouths, and Caesar and Chu Zihang quickly followed suit. The miscellaneous books recommended by Lu Mingze were occasionally useful, teaching Lu Mingfei that he should wash his hands before visiting a shrine.

The Tai Chi diagram made of this stone table looks a bit strange, and the six people around the stone table all stood up and bowed.

How about each of you say "Secret Marseille" once? Lu Mingfei thought to himself without leaving a trace.

Sakura introduced the heads of the families one by one.

"Director of the Executive Bureau, head of the Gen family, Mr. Genjiro." Caesar was slightly surprised by Genjiro's identity, having thought he was just a tour guide.

"Mr. Ryoma Genichiro, head of the Japanese branch and head of the Ryoma family." Ryoma Genichiro's midlife crisis-ridden appearance, drained by life, made Lu Mingfei mutter to himself, "How can someone like this be a yakuza boss?"

"The head of the Inuyama family, Mr. Inuyama Ga."

Inuyama He smiled kindly, "Everyone in the headquarters is a hero. My friend Mingfei and I hit it off immediately."

"The head of the Sakurai family, Sakurai Nanami." Sakurai Nanami is a graceful young woman with a capable demeanor.

"The head of the Fuma family, Fuma Kotaro." Fuma Kotaro had a certain sharpness about him, like an ancient sword half-drawn from its sheath, as Lu Mingfei had imagined.

"Tachibana Masamune, the patriarch of the Snake-Headed Eight Families."

"Hello everyone, judging from your expressions, you didn't expect the so-called yakuza to be guys like us, did you?" Tachibana Masamune smiled and shook hands. "We were surprised too; you are all outstanding young people."

After the introductions, Tachibana Masamune mentioned that the head of the Miyamoto family would arrive shortly, while the head of the Uesugi family would be absent due to illness. He intended to leave, leaving the space to Genjiro, Sakurai Nanami, and Ryoma Genichiro, who were in charge of the specific affairs, but after Caesar casually praised the aroma of the tea, he leisurely stayed, indicating that he wanted to extend a little hospitality.

The charcoal stove on the table was burning brightly, and the water in the iron kettle was about to boil. Tachibana Masamune skillfully began the tea ceremony, taking hot water to warm the bowl, picking out the tea powder, pouring in water, and gently stirring with a whisk. His movements were light and solemn, his sleeves fluttering slightly.

Taking advantage of the brief moment, Caesar leaned close to Lu Mingfei's ear and whispered, "What kind of technique is this? Quickly look at the book, how do you break it?"

"Alright, leave it to me!" Lu Mingfei quickly and secretly rummaged through his book, "100 Lectures on Japanese Mythology and History," under the table. "The appendix has tea ceremony etiquette! I've got it! It should be like this..."

He quickly and quietly repeated the procedure, which Caesar, Chu Zihang, and Frilian memorized. It was a silent contest; none of them wanted to be outdone by the other in terms of etiquette.

Tachibana Masamune served tea. The four men followed suit, accepting the teacups with ancient silk cushions, swirling them respectfully. Tea was poured in, and wisps of steam rose.

"It's a little hot," Lu Mingfei and Frilian exchanged glances.

Frillie moved her fingers. A subtle fluctuation of magic swept across the tabletop.

Caesar prepared to drink his tea as customarily, his fingertips touching the outside of the teacup. The expected heat didn't come; instead, he felt a perfectly warm temperature. He paused slightly, his gaze subtly sweeping over Frilian, who was looking down at her teacup as if doing nothing.

But Caesar understood immediately. Frilian thoughtfully cooled their tea. He silently gave her a thumbs-up for this unassuming consideration. Chu Zihang also noticed the change in temperature; he looked up and nodded to Frilian as a thank you.

Lu Mingfei also picked up the bowl. The warm porcelain relieved him; he had been afraid he might clumsily burn himself or spill the bowl and embarrass himself. He vaguely felt that Frilline had helped him, and glancing to the side, he saw that she looked perfectly normal, as if the tea temperature had just happened to be right. But he knew it wasn't a coincidence.

This quiet care warmed Lu Mingfei's heart. Although Frilian always seemed aloof and didn't talk much, she was genuinely kind to him.

The three drank tea according to etiquette, their posture was impeccable.

"Seeing that everyone likes it makes me satisfied," Tachibana Masamune said with a smile. "I won't take up any more of the specialists' time. I, Mr. Fuma, and Inuyama-kun have to go ahead. Chisei, Ms. Sakurai, and Ryoma-kun will take care of the following matters." He stood up, and Fuma Kotaro stood up as well.

Inuyama Heya smiled as he stood up. As he passed Lu Mingfei, he casually adjusted the cuffs of his kimono, his movements perfectly natural. However, in that instant—which, for an ordinary person, wouldn't even be considered a moment, but merely a fleeting blur at the edge of their vision—[the text abruptly ends here].

Lu Mingfei's pupils suddenly contracted.

He hadn't activated the Time Zero Word of Power on his own, but as its holder, he possessed an extraordinary, instinctive perception of subtle changes in the flow of time. In the tiny movement of Inuyama He's sleeve, Lu Mingfei detected a slight acceleration.

It wasn't the speed of physical movement that was fast, but rather the illusion that everything around us was relatively slowed down—a fleeting trace! Although it was only used for a short time, perhaps even less than the first level, and was so subtle as to be like an illusion, Lu Mingfei was certain that he had felt it.

At the same time, there was a very slight "tap" on the tatami mat at his feet, as if dust had settled. A white piece of paper, folded to the size of a fingernail, appeared silently in the shadow beside his shoe.

The whole process was so fast that even Caesar and Chu Zihang, who were standing right next to each other, were completely unaware. Genjiro and the others were also focused on Tachibana Masamune, who had left his seat.

Inuyama He's smile remained unchanged, and he didn't stop walking, as if nothing had happened. He followed Tachibana Masamune and Fuuma Kotaro toward the sliding door, and his figure disappeared outside the door.

Lu Mingfei's heart pounded twice. He forced himself to remain calm and didn't immediately look down. Instead, he imitated Caesar and Chu Zihang, bowing slightly to their departing figures once more. Only after sitting up straight again, using the adjustment of his posture as cover, did he quickly step on the small piece of paper and smother it into a more concealed crevice in the tatami mat.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Frilian glance in his direction, but she quickly looked away and continued to sit quietly. Caesar and Chu Zihang's attention had already turned to the remaining Genji and the others; the real meeting was about to begin.

Lu Mingfei's palms were slightly sweaty. What could be on the note? A warning? A provocation? Or something else? Inuyama He, Principal Angers' old friend, the first branch manager.

Why did he use this method to send a message to himself alone? And he cleverly took advantage of the momentary acceleration that only holders of similar time-based spells could perceive.

Suppressing his surprise and curiosity, Lu Mingfei tried to bring his attention back to the meeting in front of him.

Chapter 376 Lu Mingfei: I feel like I've met Tachibana Masamune in my past life.

The sliding door closed silently behind me, shutting out the light and conversations inside the Xingshen Temple. The corridor was dimly lit, with only the wall lamps casting a yellowish glow.

Fuuma Kotaro and Tachibana Masamune walked side by side, the old man's wiry figure standing straight as a pine tree beneath his loose kimono. He tilted his head slightly and lowered his voice: "Mr. Masamune, do you really think these young people from the academy can be trusted?"

Tachibana Masamune walked steadily, the sleeves of his white linen robe swaying gently with each step. The warm smile on his face faded.

"Feng Mo Jun, Principal Angers has his reasons for sending them. Lu Mingfei is the only S-rank student at Kassel College in recent decades, with an astonishingly high bloodline assessment. Although his daily behavior is, well, quite unique, he does possess the Word of Zero, and there are records showing that he has participated in battles against Dragon Kings and survived. Being recognized and given special attention by Angers is definitely not just luck."

"Caesar Gattuso, a well-known A-rank, heir to the Gattuso family. It's not just about bloodline and equipment; his leadership, decisiveness, and natural charisma prove that he's more than just a figurehead relying on his family's influence. He will be the team's window to the outside world."

"Chu Zihang, also an A-level, is the president of the Lionheart Society. The family assessment mentioned the potential instability factors he might have, but based on our brief interaction just now, he was extremely restrained, calm, and had a clear goal. Rather than saying he's uncontrollable, it's more accurate to say that he has his own absolutely unwavering code of conduct. As long as he doesn't cross that line, he will be the most reliable executor."

Masamune Tachibana paused slightly, his brow furrowing. "As for Ms. Frilian, there's very little information. Her file is practically blank, containing only basic identification information and a vague certification from the Mage's Association. Her Word of Power is unknown, her ability tendencies are unknown, and even her exact purpose in being in this group is shrouded in mystery. Angers might have had a deeper meaning in including her, one we can't yet understand, or perhaps it's for balance or checks and balances." He shook his head slightly. "She's currently the biggest variable."

“However,” Masamune Tachibana concluded, regaining his composure, “overall, their arrival is beneficial to our investigation into the awakening of the god and to dealing with the potential crisis brought by the Lenin. Their powerful combat capabilities, the high importance attached to them by the Academy headquarters, and the different perspectives they may bring as outsiders are all factors we need. We need this force, and we also need to use them to convey some information to the Academy and even other forces within the Secret Party.”

Fuma Kotaro listened silently, his wrinkled face grave. He nodded slowly: "Your analysis is correct. I had a similar premonition; this incident may need such an external force to push things forward or break the deadlock."